My Heart's Desire Read Online Free PDF

touched his features. Then he laughed. He had a big, booming, hearty laugh. His eyes crinkled, and tears appeared at the corners. His shoulders shook. It was loud, infectious laughter, and outside the room Jarret could hear the titterings of the guests as they caught the sound of Hollis's genuine enjoyment.
    "Pardon me," Hollis said. He took the sharply folded handkerchief from his breast pocket and dabbed at his eyes. "All of a thousand dollars, eh? That doesn't sound like Jay Mac. Are you certain you met him?"
    Jarret drew his Remington and pointed it at Hollis's chest. There was no longer any evidence of a smile or any indication that Jarret had found anything amusing-ever. "There's this as well," he said calmly.
    Hollis arched one dark eyebrow. "Jay Mac told you to kill me?"
    "Let's say he didn't tell me not to."
    "I see." Hollis eyed the gun consideringly. "I wonder who he has in mind to take my place."
    "Can't say. Rennie's pretty enough, I guess. She'll find another stallion to corral."
    "I wasn't referring to being Mary Renee's husband. I meant with Northeast Lines. I'm Jay Mac's vice president of operations."
    Nothing showed on Jarret's face, but he was damning John MacKenzie Worth. He shrugged.
    "Does Mary Renee know what you're doing?"
    "I've already spoken to her, yes. She's in the side chapel with her sisters and mother."
    Hollis Banks looked at the Remington again. He'd never had a gun pointed at him, but his estimation of Jarret Sullivan was that the man was prepared to use it. "Nate Houston," he said slowly.
    This time Jarret's surprise showed. He blinked. "What?"
    "Nate Houston," Banks repeated. "That's who you are."
    There was something not quite right with Banks' assertion beyond the fact that the vice president of operations was dead wrong. Rennie's fiancé had the proper look of a suddenly frightened man. A bead of perspiration had appeared on Hollis's forehead, and his eyes darted nervously between Jarret's face and the gun, something they hadn't done before. Yet something didn't ring true, and since Jarret couldn't put his finger on it he played along. "How do you figure that?"
    "It wasn't all that difficult. You could only be Marshal Stone or Nathaniel Houston. Jay Mac's been warned that Houston escaped and might come here. That would bring Stone on his trail."
    "That so?"
    Banks nodded, his eyes dropping uneasily to the Remington again. "I imagine the marshal would only be interested in Michael, especially since she's carrying his child. And Mr. Worth would never offer a thousand dollars to stop Rennie's wedding."
    "Actually, that's my offer." Jarret's smile came slowly, and it hinted at something intimate, something Hollis Banks would understand. "I've taken a fancy to Mary Renee."
    "Which makes it reasonable to assume you're Nate Houston. How else would a man like you have come by the thousand dollars?"
    Jarret raised his gun slightly at Banks' condescending assertion. "It's hard to say, Mr. Banks. After all, this is a world where a man like you could become Jay Mac's son-in-law."
    Hollis didn't answer immediately. The mask of fear slipped, and the look he gave Jarret was long and thoughtful. "Careful planning," he said at last.
    The answer was just about what Jarret had expected. It appeared more and more as if the impending marriage was no love match. "Reconsidering taking the money? Or is a bullet more to your liking?" Holding the gun steady, Jarret reached into his back pocket and pulled out a clip of twelve hundred-dollar bills. It was all the money he had in the world, most of it won during the long poker game on the rail ride east. He hoped Jay Mac meant what he said about the ten thousand.
    Pinching the money between his thumb and forefinger, Jarret held it out for Hollis to take. At the same time he slowly drew back the hammer on his Remington. "There's not much time," he said. "Your friends will be coming in after you. Will they find you on the floor or a richer man?"
    Banks raised his hand